Ellis Leonard Clarence Williams

Ellis was born on Wednesday, April 22, 1931 in Rainy River, ON to Warren and Mary Williams. During his early years he lived in Patullo Township on the family farm. After the death of his father in 1943, Ellis and his mother moved to Fort Frances where he attended St. Mary’s School. At the age of 16 he left school and went to work for a local bakery until he obtained employment with the Dept. of Highways. He worked with the DHO, later Ministry of Transportation Ontario, for thirty-seven years, starting on the survey crew and later as patrolman and equipment operator. Following his retirement from MTO he worked as a grader operator, and later drove the mail truck between Fort Frances and Thunder Bay. His final job was delivering papers in Fort Frances.

Ellis was an active member of the Royal Canadian Legion Br. 29, the International Order of Oddfellows Cascade Lodge #351 and the local militia for four years. He loved to fish and hunt with his many friends and family. To his great nieces and nephews he was a gentle giant, when they were young.

Ellis was predeceased by his parents, brother Myron and sister-in-law Marge Williams, sister Muriel and brother-in-law Carl Thesenvitz, niece Jeanne Pollard, great nieces Tracy Zub and Rhonda Dewar and nephews-in-law Walter Strain and Roy Zub.

He is survived by his nieces and nephews Warren (Janet) Williams, Joyce Zub and Hazel Strain, all of Fort Frances, ON, Garry (Mary) Thesenvitz of North Branch, ON, Dayton (Doris) Thesenvitz of Lacombe, AB, and Lorraine (John) Ponse of Nanaimo, BC and their families.

A celebration Ellis’s life for family and friends will be held on Friday, January 20, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion in Fort Frances.

Members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 29 “Color Party” acted as the Honour Guard. The honourary pallbearers were all of Ellis’s family and friends.

In lieu of flowers in memoriam donations may be made to the Tamarack House in care of Green Funeral Home, Box 427, Fort Frances, Ontario. P9A 3M8

On-line condolences may be made in care of www.greenfuneralhomefortfrances.com